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"Never under any condition should this nation look at an immigrant as primarily a labor unit. He should always be looked at primarily as a future citizen."-Theodore Roosevelt, 1917

"It is not possible to be in favor of justice for some people and not be in favor of justice for all people."-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Isaona i tumungo’ ya ha sedi, ki ayo i mismo umisagui hao. Greater is the fault of he who allows the injustice upon himself. "-Chamorro proverb

"There can be no tyrants where there are no slaves." -Jose Rizal

"I am not interested in picking up crumbs of compassion thrown from the table of someone who considers himself my master. I want the full menu of rights." -Bishop Desmond Tutu

Disclaimer: This is not a legal blog. No opinion or statement should be perceived as legal advice. All posts are the opinion of the author or contributors who are expressing their First Amendment Rights.

The trial of former disgraced Attorney General Edward Buckingham is underway. Let the excuses fly!

King Fitial and his obedient, law-breaking minions have always pleaded innocence, ignorance or that their illegal actions were for the 'good of the people'. Prepare yourselves for a flood of self-serving excuses, whines, and lies.

Buckingham's counsel, Richard Pierce downplayed the eight charges his client faces as 'much ado about nothing' and 'mundane', according to the Marianas Variety.

The attorney also remarked that there was a 'personality conflict' between Buckingham and Hasselback. Personality conflict? It is Hasselback's job to expose collusion, corruption, government waste and misconduct of government officials. And it appears that Buckingham's job was to cover up, make excuses and do whatever Fitial wanted, whether legal or not. So, of course there would be a conflict there, but not of personalities, rather a conflict of good versus evil.

Count I, use of public supplies, services, time, and personnel for campaign activities; Count II, use of the name of a government department of agency to campaign and/or express support for a candidate running for public office; Count III, misconduct in office; Count IV, failure to provide documents or information; Count VIII; theft of services; Count IX, misconduct in public office; Count X, conspiracy to commit theft of services; and Count XI, misconduct in public office.

The very fact that the offenses were committed while Buckingham was serving as the attorney general make them all the more serious. His great escape also speaks to his guilt and cowardice.

“On the one hand, it is unfortunate that this matter has proceeded. On the other, given that I served the commonwealth for nine and a half years, I look forward to my day in court and to defending vigorously my position.”

“My belief is always that the best way to deal with a legal case, whether it be civil or criminal, is in the courtroom. I have many thoughts, but I think it is best to let things play out in court."

What is unfortunate is that a locality's highest attorney who should be upholding the law, breaks the law repeatedly in order to keep a powerful position, defend a lawbreaking governor and to for other self-serving reasons. It is also unfortunate that the coward fled the CNMI and only returned after the OPA found him hiding in Colorado and had him arrested as a fugitive. How much money has this worm cost the people of the commonwealth?

While Buckingham may have collected a paycheck from the commonwealth for nine and a half years, for much of that time he did not serve the CNMI as he claimed. He 'served' only ex-Governor Fitial and worked primarily to support Fitial's illegal activities and underhanded schemes for much of that time.

Buckingham believed that 'the best way to deal with a legal case is in the courtroom'? I guess that is why he used government resources to avoid a penal summons and why he fled the CNMI so he did not have to appear in court.